Racing for a cause is nothing new for 50-year-old Jacksonville attorney Susan Haag and neither is racing a full-distance triathlon. On November 5th, she will be racing her 100th (yes, you read that right) full-distance race for the Children's Tumor Foundation and her "hero" Clara Zehr at the 2016 IRONMAN Florida triathlon. "Children touch my heart. I might not be an Olympian but I have my health. I have all my faculties and appendages. I'm not really struggling to get beyond something. Anytime someone has to rise above physical challenges or even demons, I can't even imagine. So, when I accomplish something I don't think it's that big of a deal. But, when I see someone just accept it as this is the life I've been given and yet rise above it and then to accomplish anything close to what I do or anyone else does is a herculean effort."

Although Clara's mom Katherine and Haag met for the first time this past spring at St. Anthony's triathlon, Clara and Haag will meet for the first time (dubbed the big reveal) in Panama City Beach at IRONMAN Florida. After meeting Katherine and speaking with the Children's Tumor Foundation, a plan was developed that Haag would complete her 100th full-distance race for eight-year-old Clara and raise money for the foundation at IRONMAN Florida. "When they (CTF) heard I was racing my 100th full-distance race, I think it really captured their excitement. And, I was, of course, enraptured with Clara."

However, Haag still had five races to finish before then to reach the 100 mark. "I've been using Clara as my muse for all of these. No day is a given, certainly, you may battle weather conditions (I was in Chattanooga) and you have these days where anything can go wrong such as a mechanical issue on the course, which can be a nightmare. But, I have known that Clara and I have a date. So, there wasn't anything that was going to be taken lightly and if they got in my way I was going to move mountains, so I would be there for my 100th FOR Clara. It's a big number… it's just not another day."

Even though the two have never seen each other in person, they both have passed on lessons to each other. "She's [Susan] not 'in it to win it'," said Clara's mother. "She's in it to have fun, be healthy and prove to herself that she CAN DO IT! That is exactly the lesson that we want not just Clara to learn, but our other two daughters (Isabella 11, Norah 5) as well. Do it for yourself and have fun while doing it!"

Through Facebook and talking with Clara's mother, Haag has seen a glimpse of Clara's life living with Neurofibromatosis Type 1. As the spunky eight-year-old puts it, if you think Neurofibromatosis Type 1 is hard to say, imagine living with it. "But I am a fighter, and I don't let NF get in my way," she says.

Clara recently turned eight and Haag took the opportunity to introduce the youngster to her friends online who all joined in making the birthday extra special. "The biggest thing I have gleaned from Clara is that we are a lot alike," said Haag. "Even though I am 50, I consider myself a kid at heart."

The tough conditions at Chattanooga, the ups and downs of a full-distance race day, and the stresses of her job as an attorney—Haag has used all her experiences with children facing challenges to help her get through those trying times. "I can tell there is a fire in that child [Clara] that is very similar to what I embody when I am on the race course."

With so much race experience, the pre-race butterflies have now been replaced with butterflies about meeting Clara face to face. Haag adds that Clara is a true hero in her book. "You always want someone to like you," she says. "I hope that as great as I feel about her and the joy she brings that I can turn it around and bring her the joy back." With around 375 triathlons under her belt, Haag has quite a few trinkets to pass along to Clara too.

Katherine, Clara's mother, knows the meeting will be emotional. "We've watched quite a few of her [Clara's] 'heroes' cross the finish line, some via live feed on the computer and others in person. Each athlete to cross the finish has been 100 percent amazing, and I honestly have tears when we watch them cross. What sets Susan aside is not just that this is her 100th triathlon, but that she has fun while doing them. She enjoys stopping and talking to people, petting the dogs and even dancing on course."

And you can be sure there will be a big dance party at the finish line incorporating some new special moves Haag hopes Clara teaches her beforehand. "You only have one 100th," Haag said. "But, basically I'm so excited to have a new friend."

About Children's Tumor Foundation: The Children's Tumor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), a term for three distinct disorders: NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. NF affects one in every 3,000 people, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington's disease combined. The Children’s Tumor Foundation funds critical research into neurofibromatosis. In addition to benefiting those who live with NF, this research is shedding new light on several forms of cancer, brain tumors, bone abnormalities, and learning disabilities, ultimately benefiting the broader community. For more information, please visit www.ctf.org.